22 May 2009

For those of you who frequent my blog you know that I try never to miss the Taste & Create event which gets bigger and bigger each and every month. The event is the brainchild of Nicole over at For the Love of Food . I love to visit her site for all the delicious recipes and tidbits of very helpful information. She even has an on-line store with wonderful kitchen gadgets and gourmet foods. Each and every month we are paired with another foodie and prepare a dish from their site for the event. I love this idea so I can showcase someone else's talents and have the pleasure of creating something delicious as well.

This month for T & C I was paired with Susan at Life at Quail's Hollow. Quail's Hollow sounds like somewhere I would just love to live. I do love condo living for the advantages I see there but I sometimes long for my gardens and a few goats on a few acres in the country, preferably in a country where it stays warm all year round:D

Susan says, "I will always be a Georgia girl. My grandmothers and mother taught me the "Life" and I am living it at Quail Hollow, my little taste of heaven. My "Life" is centered around gardening, cooking, and sharing Quail Hollow with family and friends." I am so happy that she has also decided to share the "Life" with all of us as well.

For those of you who know me you will know that I was in heaven with this dish!!!! This recipe uses 3 of my favourite things...lemon, chicken and potatoes with a little rosemary thrown in for good measure. I am often asked how to keep fresh herbs...well fresh!!! This comes from Anthony Sedlak who will be my next installment in my Canadian Chef series. "When you get home with your beautiful, fresh and vibrant herbs... don’t wash them—the wetter they are, the quicker they’re going to turn to mush. Take a sheet (or two) of paper towel and wet it under room temperature water. Ring the heck out of it so that it's just barely damp (try not to rip it either). Lay it out and place your bouquet of herbs into the middle. Now, wrap the whole thing up like a big cigar.

Next, take a plastic bag and poke a couple of holes in it, then place your herb bundle right inside. Into the fridge it goes, and you’re good for at least a week."

Keep in mind that some herbs turn "to mush" quicker than others. For example, basil, dill and chives, are not going to be hanging about as long as heartier herbs like rosemary or thyme. I did have a ziplocked bag of fresh basil stay fresh for 2 weeks just sitting on the kitchen counter. I haven't has the same success since , so maybe it depends on exactly how fresh is fresh?

Cut a small slice off both ends of each lemon, and then cut in half crosswise. Arrange the lemons, flesh side up, in a flameproof nonreactive baking dish, and season with salt. Broil 6 inches or more from the heat until browned and soft, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly. Squeeze the lemon halves over a sieve suspended over a bowl. Push and stir the pulp through the sieve with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to get as much juice out as possible. Discard the lemon peels.

Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chicken, lower the heat to medium, and cook, turning once, until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate or baking sheet.

Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring and tossing, until brown all over, about 10 minutes. Drain off the excess oil. Arrange the chicken breasts on top of the potatoes and place in the oven until potatoes and chicken are cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken to a platter and put the pan with the potatoes over medium-high heat. Toss well so the pan juices are absorbed into the potatoes. Scrape the potatoes out of the pan onto the platter around the chicken.

Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the garlic and rosemary, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and reserved lemon juice. Stir and scrape up all the browned bits that cling to the bottom and sides of the pan, and then add the remaining 1 cup broth. Bring to a simmer stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. If the sauce tastes too lemony, stir in the optional butter. Pour the sauce over the chicken and potatoes and serve immediately, garnished with rosemary sprigs.

Oh yummy chicken!!! I love the roasting with the lemon, it'll get all nice and sticky! Thanks for the great tip on herbs. I like Anthony Sedlack ok, I find him bit hard to watch, the same with Anna Olson and Michel Smith, they just give me a really weird vibe, like they're uncomfortable or awkward. I don't know, maybe it's just my perception:)

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 9 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.